I have a new friend!!!!

Howdy!!!! I am still trying to recover from my Chargers losing their first game of the season… that’s not good lookin out right there. You know what is some good looking out? People who make you look at life differently. So I have started to notice that all of my friends from back home are slowly dwindling away one by one. Distance does not make the heart grow fonder, it’s true… if you disagree we can have a shin kicking fight and declare a winner through that, I happen to be undefeated though. I guess my friends aren’t really the “lets talk about our day on the phone daily” type.

As I drove home feeling sorry for myself I decided to eat something that makes me happy… Taco Bell!!! As I entered the drive through line the obligatory homeless man asked me if I had money. You know what? I did have money, but I wanted to know what he needed so I asked him what he wanted. He replied with, “I just want to get some food.” I said, “fair enough, how about I park my car and we eat inside the restaurant?” I would rather make sure he was actually going to eat than buy a beer or something else with it. We walked up to the counter and I told him he could get what he wanted, boy did he smell like the streets. The gleam in his eye meant everything though… he reminded me of when I was kid and would get super excited to eat pizza, which was once in a blue moon… I got a burrito, a tostada, and a steak taco. He got a bunch of stuff but I didn’t care because he now had enough for the day. We sat down at a booth and I just started chatting it up with him. I always wondered how people end up homeless. He told me he was from New Orleans and that he had lost everything in Katrina. He said he and his wife weren’t rich but they had a roof over their heads and he worked at a gas station and a convenience store to pay the bills. Unfortunately he lost his wife during the hurricane and after leaving New Orleans he found himself depressed and addicted to drugs and he could not stop. He was practically stripped from the place where he felt comfort.

How many times have we judged a homeless man on the side of the road? I have done it. Granted, this man was homeless because of an addiction, but he lost his wife and his home. We talked for about an hour and I felt that I needed to help him… but I felt helpless. I can buy him food, but I can’t provide shelter. I can give him clothes, but I can’t provide him the comfort his wife gave him. He asked me if by chance I had an extra room… I wish I could give him a room, but I don’t think the girls would be too stoked on that idea. I did tell him that if I saw him again dinner was on me.

I got in my car and all I could say was, “damn.” I am soooo lucky to be where I am. I have always been simple. All I need is a roof over my head and clothes to cover my body. It was nice to step back and realize that I am not as lonely as I was feeling an hour earlier. So I decided to go throw water balloons at rich people while yelling “Homeless power!!!” So if you ever see me at Taco Bell eating with a homeless man don’t try to strangle him while telling me to escape. Go ahead and sit down and get to know a cool dude.

Moral of the story: rich people don’t like water balloons to be thrown at them.

That’s so nice of you. Once when I was leaving a restaurant I had a homeless guy approach me that he was hungry I was like I just ordered this you want it… he was like yeah! So I just went back and ordered me another one. He ate what I gave him it makes you feel like you cant do much for them. Good looking out!

JC, my heart broke for you this morning. After reading your blog today, your dad is a fool for not wanting to get to know you. You seem like such an awesome guy. If there were more people that were willing to get to know another person’s story, then this world just might be a little kinder. My son did not meet his dad until he was 23. Luckily for him, his dad is happy to have him in his life and they see each other frequently and talk almost everyday. And, I thank God that it turned out that way, because i could not bear to think that he would be as down as you seemed this morning. Especially, since it was my choice to walk away from his dad. Anyway, long tragic story that I can’t change. Keep your head up, you are an awesome person!

i never write comments on here but i read everyones blog daily… but hearing that you helped that homless man really brought a tear to my eye. im glad theres people like you out in this world. im sure he appreciated having food and someone to talk to for an hour out of his long and lonley day.

It’s crazy how sometimes in life we see what we take for granted. I will catch myself complaining about things, and then when I see something like that I realize I don’t really have ANYTHING to complain about! Good looking out! I am sure that made you feel really good inside!!

Jc that is awsome how you did that, and yes we do judge homeless bc we think it is all due to they were too drunk or addicated to drugs but i am from new orleans and i know what it is like to lose someone i didnt lose anyone close but some distant family down the line but if i lost my husband omg but u def did a good deed and it will come back to you and sumthin will come true that u asked for

1) You ain’t no real beaner! We beaners don’t like Taco Bell…what’s wrong with you? Take it from a beaner who doesn’t like beans!

2) Everyone has their stories but you also have to take everything with a grain of salt. I used to be homeless (for lots of reasons but whatev) and many of those I met on the streets had rehearsed stories to garner sympathy. Not saying his wasn’t true but it’s hard to tell.

3) You did a very good thing. One of the hardest part of being homeless is the disconnect with main stream society. Plus food over cash is always better.

4) Lastly I always prefer to help people on a more personal level then give cash to charities. You can make a bigger impact. Sometimes I wish I could afford a duplex that I could use to help people like him get back on their feet.

I would like to defend myself about going to Taco Bell… I still have not found super awesome Mexican food like they have in Cali or in Mexico. Everything is Tex Mex here. Thats why I go to TB… and its pretty cheap.

I love reading your blogs because most of the time they make me laugh hysterically! Like the one about your friend’s girlfriend. But, this one totally blew me away! Most of us try to do our part and some people may not say that what you did was going above and beyond, but you know what… it so was! I bet that man felt a small weight lifted to just have some food and an ear to listen to what he had to say. You’re awesome for that!

i get SO tired of people talkin bout taco bell, bueno, etc. i dont think anyone, mexican or otherwise goes to taco bell and expect to get an authentic mexican feast. we go there cuz its good and cheap! i have a few mex friends who pull that same “i won’t eat it unless it’s REAL mexican food” noise all the time. thas fine w/me- u can wait all u want, but i’m gonna go ahead and eat NOW at TB cuz its here and i’m hungry. it’s not like there’s a TB conspiracy to trick everyone into thinking they’re getting genuine mexican food, lol…i think most of us kno that TX has mostly tex-mex places. ALTHO, there are some good taquerias around if u look. after 2am on sat nite, taqueria san luis or cesar’s tacos is authentic enough and the tacos al pastor r MUY BUENO!
MORAL OF THE STORY (in tru j-yes style): LETS JUST GRAB SOME TACOS AND EAT! =)

Just wanted to tell you that I love your blogs, they always make me laugh!! As a person in the mental health field it is sad to know that a large majority of homeless people are actually schizophrenic! So, people should think about that next time they turn their cheek to a homeless person…most of them did not choose that lifestyle, some barely know who they are!